. >> today kerry is in berlin meeting with angela merkel. while there, he will also hold a key meeting with russian foreign minister sergei lavrov to discuss the civil war in syria that has killed over 70,000 people. he will also discuss another major foreign policy challenge, iran. a fresh round of talks begins today in kazakhstan between the islamist regime and the u.s. and other world powers. joining us now to discuss this and so much more, former secretary of -- former assistant secretary of state p.j. crowley. it is always great to have you on our program. especially as our new secretary of state begins his world tour. >> thanks, alex. >> so let's talk, first, about, you know, in whose footsteps john kerry will follow. there is that politico report saying he is sort of exerting himself perhaps more than the obama white house thought he would given the fact that he is determining his own itinerary. we have long discussed this so-called pivot to asia. john kerry is not starting in asia, but is, of course, starting across the atlantic. >>